LAKKI MARWAT, May 20: The police on Sunday launched a crackdown against transporters for installing extra seats in passenger vehicles and overcharging commuters.

The police had received complaints from public circles that transporters were fleecing commuters besides they had installed extra seats in their vehicles.

Taking notice of public complaints a police party led by DPO Umar Riaz stopped several passenger vehicles especially coaches on different routes to check whether or not they had put extra seats and displayed official fare list, said an official. He said that the drivers had not displayed official fare list besides they had installed three to four extra seats in the vehicles.

He quoted the passengers as telling the district police officer that they were being overcharged by the drivers. “The violators were issued tickets and heavy fines were imposed on them,” the official maintained.

Meanwhile, as many as thirty policemen appeared in the written test for the post of muharrir, conducted at the district police office the other day. “The written test was conducted to appoint talented cops against the posts of muharrir in police stations and police posts purely on merit,” said a police official.

 STIPENDS: The district elementary and secondary education department has provided over Rs15 million to the general post office for onward distribution among female students as monthly stipends.

An official of ESED on Sunday said monthly stipends would be distributed among female students from grade six to ten in the district through respective post offices. He said on the instruction of EDO Haji Meer Azam Khan and DO Mohammad Ayyub Khan, a cheque of over Rs15 million had been handed over to GPO with the request to ensure speedy delivery of stipends to the students. He maintained that each student would get Rs1,800 stipend for a period of nine months.

“Provision of monthly stipends to female students aims to promote female education in the district,” the official said, calling upon the headmistresses of middle and high schools to keep close liaison with the post offices of their respective areas and ensure delivery of stipends to each student.